


Angel With A Shotgun

by BloodyLipstick



Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Complete, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Five is ruthless but has a heart, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Torture, Klaus and Allison and Vanya are the squad I deserve, Luther and Diego are dorks but supportive siblings, Murder, Protective Siblings, Reginald doesn't give a shit about the kids but theyre his legacy, Song: Angel With A Shotgun (The Cab), Songfic, Vanya can cut you but makes cookies on her spare time, fiveya - Freeform, mystery I guess, or not?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 03:34:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 19,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28931826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodyLipstick/pseuds/BloodyLipstick
Summary: Are you a saint, or a sinner?If love's a fight, then I shall dieWith my heart on a triggerThey say before you start a warYou better know what you're fighting forWell baby, you are all that I adoreIf love is what you need, a soldier I will beI'm an angel with a shotgunFighting til' the wars wonI don't care if heaven won't take me backI'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you safeDon't you know you're everything I have?Sometimes to win, you've got to sinDon't mean I'm not a believer...Everything he did, he did to protect her. He isn't hearless, but his heart is burnt by passion and broken by loss.Five loved someone once. There was nothing he wouldn't have done for her and her safety. But she is no longer by his side and tonight, he has finally avenged her memory.But a terrible lie lurks in the shadows and Five might find out this fateful night that his existence does have a meaning after his revenge.A/n: this was intended to be a one shot, but instead I vomited 20 thousand words that I'm now dividing in chapters. It's already written so expect a weekly chapter.
Relationships: Number Five | The Boy/Vanya Hargreeves
Comments: 5
Kudos: 29





	1. What I've become

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the first of a series of song-fics of My Chemical Romance songs with Vanya and Five cuz my inner emo will always be an MCR fan and I also LOVE the umbrella academy. Both comic and show.
> 
> In the comic I am a sucker for Diego and Vanya, but in the show I just ADORE Vanya and Five.
> 
> So when I vomited those 20 thousand words I ended up right here. Next chapter tomorrow!

A winter night in Europe is always cold and dark, yet it’s also white and beautiful. There was a time, Five thought, when he would’ve surrendered his mind to it, abandoned himself to the earthly delights of the senses, feel the snowflakes in his skin, the rush of the wind in his cheeks and allow a playful smile to appear in his lips.

Ah, the memories. The memories of a time that no longer was, for he was no longer a child and couldn’t ever let his guard down again. If he hadn’t done so back then, she’d still be alive.

He sighed and walked down the street, away from the red stain of blood in the snow, to the black motorcycle waiting for him in the lonely road.

Five drove in the night to the cozy hostel his employer was waiting in.

He got off the bike and took a deep breath before knocking five times.

A middle-age beautiful and elegant woman opened the door.

“Come here,” she purred grabbing the neck of his black coat and pulling him inside the room.

He pulled away from her the moment he stepped on the wooden floor.

“I’m done with what you asked. Both are dead.”

She sat on the red velvet sofa.

“Would you like some tea?”

He shook his head.

“I’m here for my money, I have a compromise in thirty minutes.”

The woman helped herself a cup of tea.

“Don’t spare me details, my darling! How did you do it?”

Five wasn’t known for his patience, but the Handler always managed to get on his last nerve with a few words.

“Irrelevant! Pay me already.”

“I’m much afraid that I must know how you killed them before proceeding with that.”

“None of them suffered. A bullet in their heads. Will be catalogued as suicide-homicide.”

“Of course. You truly are something, aren’t you?”

She took a heavy envelope and handed it to Five. He counted it and buffed approvingly at the amount inside.

“We already have another job for you, Five. You’ll find everything in this file.”

The man took the file and checked its content.

“I pass. As I said I have a compromise.”

He left and drove into the night to the big and busy city, probably a bad idea given the same vehicle had just left a murder scene, but he was confident the Handler would help out if anyone did trace the bike back to him. The mad woman had had something for him since he was only sixteen and first began working with her organization (they called themselves The Commission), a hitman like any of the others. Except that he was extremely effective, there was no task he couldn’t complete, and ten years later he was a bit of a legend in the Commission. It was kind of creepy, though: she could be his mother.

And if she didn’t, well, he didn’t care much about keeping himself alive these days anyway.

Five got inside his apartment and waited for his  _ guest _ to manifest his presence, but he didn’t, so Five walked inside his own place carefully. One could never be too careful and this special individual had fooled him once already.

He checked every single one of the rooms, gun in hand, but nothing. He smirked cruelly and opened the guest’s room.

“I’m sorry for the delay, I see you waited for me.”

A man around his age chained to the wall by the wrists glared at him.

“Good evening, Leonard, how was your day?”

Even if the man wanted to answer, his lips were stitched together like those of a ragdoll.

Five kneeled in front of him showing off his most sadistic grim.

“Why so silent? Oh right, pardon me, I meant  _ Harold _ .”

Harold Jenkins, the man who had stolen away everything he loved. Rather, the only thing he loved.

Five walked out of the room and to his kitchen for a cup of coffee.

His apartment wasn’t cozy at all: his walls were dark grey, all his furniture in the same obscure colors, even himself in his black clothing and his copper skin and chocolate hair. Even his eyes looked like ice. Had she lived, Vanya would’ve certainly decorated it better, made it a true home. But thanks to Harold over there, he wouldn’t ever even know what a house decorated by his beloved would’ve looked like.

Five watched the dark liquid in his white cup and changed his mind. He put it away and helped himself a bottle of whiskey, he needed it some for his next activities. The man collected the shiny sharp different blades he would need for his task —no, his revenge— and went back to the room.

“Hello, Harold. As I warned you yesterday, I’m a perfectionist in my job, I take every detail very seriously. That’s one of the things that she liked about me,” he glared at his prisoner, “of course that you already know that, because you _watch_ _me_ for weeks to know what would catch her attention, didn’t you?”

The man didn’t even look up. He did know, for he had seen before what Five, the mythic murderer, could do. He had counted on that it’d be enough to terrify Vanya and pulled her away from his side. But when it wasn’t, he had to take desperate measures.

Which had taken him here, chained to the wall of what could’ve been her apartment, and later his if he would’ve been more careful. And about to be, literally, skinned alive by Five.

“Shall we begin?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still wanna do the songfic thing


	2. Should've spent the rest of that night dancing with you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Intro chapter more than anything  
> I'm seriously considering just putting it all already

**_21 years ago…_ **

Reginald Hargreeves was as eccentric as a man could be, everybody knew that, he had a fascination for strange cases. Yet, the world was very much surprised that someday he suddenly decided to search around the world for orphans with unique talents, who would be his children and inherit everything he owned.

He found seven of them: the first one was a boy with tremendous strength, capable of lifting the back of a large car with his bare hands even when he was a five year old, what wouldn’t he do in ten years, he wondered. The second was another boy, of ridiculously excellent aim, able to reach any target wherever it was, however far it was, no matter the kind of movement it had. The next was a girl, of extraordinarily developed manipulative skills: she caught his attention by the way she played the nuns in her orphanage, there was nothing they would deny her. The number four was a boy a circus exploited for his abilities to, allegedly, commune with the dead, something Reginald didn’t believe at first, but when the boy mentioned something about his dead wife’s violin he didn’t hesitate. Then, there was the number five, who unlike his new siblings would reject the name he gave him and called himself Five; this boy was simply exceptional, his survival skills, abilities to read people and get his way even with the ruthless millionaire, but what got him taken was his… aura, the vibes of a ruthless murderer and vibrant force and he was only seven-years-old. The sixth was another circus star, capable of taming any beast you put in front of him, including people: certainly interesting. Finally, the number seven was the one that made him stop buying children around the world: she was the same age as her siblings and played the violin like the most professional and renowned musicians could only dream of; the violin certainly moved something inside of him, but what made him accept her was the same terrifying aura of Number Five’s, except that hers was calmer and more innocent, yet somehow that terrified him even more: number five was like a shotgun, but she was like a slow blade.

So Luther, Diego, Allison, Klaus, Five, Ben and Vanya went from orphans to the richest heirs in the world. Then again, heirs and not sons and daughters because that was not what Reginald was to offer. While it’s true that what an orphan craves the most is a family, if they couldn’t have that then a few billions of dollars wouldn’t be bad either.

So the new Hargreeves siblings grew up together like any other, sharing their extended education and harsh punishments but as well the delights of leaving with a bunch of people of extraordinary gifts.

Luther, Diego and Allison had spent an entire year only the three of them before Klaus, Five, Ben and Vanya arrived, so they were very close among themselves, though Luther and Diego were always fighting and clearly Allison’s and Luther’s feelings for each other were a little different than those they had for the rest of their siblings. As for the others, Klaus and Ben were very close, mostly because of the latter’s patience with the first. 

Klaus and Vanya were a bit distant of the rest, Five had very little patience and was constantly calling them all out on their bullshit, he would easily be the parent sibling if he gave two shits about their activities, which he didn’t, true, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t care about them: you could see how much Five cared when he taught Klaus to press his eyes with his hands for a few seconds to get his pupils dilated quickly and be able to see in the darkness, he was terrified by ghosts despite his abilities, or when he gave Ben surviving tips for whenever he stayed too late in the forests. But specially, he cared for Vanya; with her, Five showed a softer, more patient side of himself, one he never once shared with nobody else: her vulnerability seemed to drag him like the fire does with a moth, or perhaps it was the unspoken threat her whole being was. She was very shy and very sweet, but Reginald was strict the most with her, constantly mistreating her, so she tended to be kind of sad all the time. Her thick bangs and long hair were perfect for a girl wanting to hide from the world.

Over the years, the Hargreeves siblings became very learnt and very skilled in many different areas, from martial arts and dead tongues to ballroom dancing and singing. Their father didn’t care much about them as long as they didn’t step too far from the line, which ironically made them closer. 

No one would’ve imagined how each of them was going to end up like.

Five still remembered, bitterly, how the shit began: Vanya’s repressed feelings. Since they were ten, Reginald constantly drugged her to keep her occasional outbursts of rage at bay, but by then Five had already admired the destructive energy of his most timid and soft sister. He was already in love, even if it took him a little longer to acknowledge it.

So the downfall began on their —assigned— collective sixteenth birthday: October 1, 2004. It was a massive party where all the Hargreeves siblings had to show off the skills they had acquired with their education. Vanya wasn’t supposed to attend because of her medication, but Allison had convinced Reginald to let her, under Five’s promise to watch over her.

Allison and Luther were performing on stage some ballet movements that allowed the girl show off her grace and the boy his strength. Meanwhile, Klaus, Diego and Ben were fooling around with the drinks and Vanya and Five were watching everyone from their spot in the balcony.

“How are you feeling?”

Vanya smiled sweetly at her brother.

“Perfect. I’m a little sleepy, but very happy to be here.”

Five looked down to the people again.

“Good. But you know, maybe you should stop taking those pills. I don’t think they’re good for you.”

“I don’t really have a choice, dad says otherwise I’d be unstable and could hurt you all. I don’t wanna hurt you.”

“I don’t think you would. Remember how everything was before the pills? You never did anything.”

She smiled sadly.

“You know I did. Like that time I threw a porcelain doll at you. Thank God I’m not Diego or you wouldn’t be here.”

“Well, I still have scars on my chest.”

“Had my aim been better, it’d be your face.”

Five chuckled. He hawked and offered her his hand.

“May I have this dance?”

Vanya blushed and took his hand.

“You may.”

They ran downstairs to the ballroom and took an empty spot among the people dancing. Everybody knew Five hated to dance and never did it with no one that wasn’t Vanya, while his siblings liked better to do it with different people.

“Vanya, I’ve been seriously thinking that you shouldn’t take the medication. I think it’s bad for you.”

Vanya thought so too, but as she had said, she didn’t want her bad temper to be a hazard to her siblings.

“I have a terrible temper,” she shrugged.

“So do I and dad doesn’t drug me.”

“You can control yourself!”

He smirked.

“Really? Because I wanna leave this lame party right now and go grab a donut so I’m gonna do it. Wanna come?”

“But dad…!”

“Fuck dad! Com’on!”

Five grabbed her hand and drag her away, through the front door that was usually locked. Vanya laughed and followed him running. 

An awesome evening, but looking back Five wished nothing more than that he had spent the rest of the night dancing with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter:
> 
> ||"You had a… a… fire inside of you. You were like an incandescent light. You had a spirit dad couldn't tame so he tried to shut it off."
> 
> "My fire burnt everyone around me, Five. Including you."
> 
> "Your fire didn't burn me, it… captivated me. I think that was exactly when I…"
> 
> Oh shit.||


	3. Pills and whispers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this story :D
> 
> I'm not entirely satisfied with how it came out but I'm a tutor by day, psychology student by noon and fortuneteller by night so I can barely breath much less fix what I'd like to fix
> 
> Please leave me a comment if you like this :D

Vanya and Five arrived running to the donut shop and shoved themselves in two chairs, like kids racing for the first place.

The kind owner of the shop smiled warmly at them.

“Hello there, what can I give you?”

Vanya smiled.

“A cream donut for me and a chocolate one for him,” she said.

“Anything to drink?”

“Black coffee and a chai latte,” he answered, smirking and her.

A nearby old couple smiled at them. How sweet, they said, was the bond between those kids.

Vanya sat down and giggled at her donut.

“How did you know I wanted a chai latte?”

Five shrugged in false humility,

“You’ve been pouring milk and cinnamon in your tea lately.”

She chuckled.

“Dad’s gonna kill us when we go back,” she laughed, but clearly worried.

Five smirked again.

“He can’t kill us if we don’t go back.”

Vanya knew her brother well enough to know better than calling it a joke. Instead, she glared at him and while it was a terrifying glare, Five felt joy in his guts to see that under her medication, her fire was still there.

“Don’t joke with that, Five.”

He sat in front of her and looked at her dead in the eye.

“I’m not. What if we go missing for a few days? It’s not forever!”

She rolled her eyes.

“Has it gone through your mind that after that, maybe Reginald won’t want us back.”

“He will. He is too scared of both of us to let us run around the world freely.”

Her sight fell down and Five realized he had screwed it up.

“Of you maybe, but I think he’ll get rid of me as soon as there’s a chance.”

“I’m not the one he insists on keeping sedated.”

Her eyes widened and she seemed frightened.

“My pills! See? We have to go back, at least for those!”

Five groaned.

“Let’s stay in the city two nights. No dad, no pills, no lessons, nothing. Just you and me,” he suggested, “and then we go back and face that and everything.  _ Please _ .”

Vanya would’ve said no immediately, but neither of them had realized Five was holding her hand until he pulled it to his chest without thinking.

_ Damn it _ , thought Five. Well, it was too late to pretend nothing happened anyway.

“Please.”

She blushed.

“Fine.”

Then, the waitress came back with their food. Five took advantage of the distraction to let go of her hand and attack his food like an enemy.

But Vanya didn't give up. She waited until he was done to ask:

"Now what?"

"About what?"

Vanya giggled.

"You said we'd be out for two nights. So now what do we do?"

Five checked his wallet and smiled.

"Com'on. Klaus told me of a cheap place around here."

She laughed.

"Ew!"

They ran into the reception of a motel with wide grins. The bored woman in there took a suspicious look at them.

"How old…? No, don't tell me. Room for two?"

Five shook his head but Vanya nodded.

"No, two rooms…"

"No, one room with two beds it's okay."

Five questioned her with his sight.

"We gotta survive two days, let's save as much as we can."

They walked inside their room and found it very cozy for a cheap motel: two beds on each side, a red couch next to the door and a bathroom.

"Not that bad, right?"

He nodded and sat on the bed closer to the door. He didn't like the idea of her sleeping there.

"What will we do tomorrow?"

Five chuckled.

"I don't know, I'll figure out in the morning."

"We could go to the lake. Dad never allows me out so there's a lot I wanna see."

"The lake it is then."

…

Back in the manor, the others were having a hard time explaining their siblings' absence.

"Where are Five and Seven?!"

Allison looked at Luther, Luther at Diego and Diego at Klaus and him at Ben.

"They said that… hmm…"

"They were dancing and…"

"Well, technically they…"

"Uh…"

Suddenly Klaus cackled in his place. Reginald glared at him.

"What is so funny, Four?"

"Com'on, they're probably in a motel and'll be back tomorrow, I mean we all know, right?"

Diego seemed as scandalized as his father, Luther tried hard not to look at Allison, but she was glaring at Klaus.

"Shut up, Klaus!"

Their father took a deep breath before questioning.

"What exactly do you mean, Four?"

_ Fuck _

"I, uh… I think they should explain themselves when they're back."

Reginald just nodded.

"If any of you have any communication with them, tell them if they aren't back by the end of the week they won't be welcomed ever again."

The siblings sighed in relief, praying the other two would come back before the deadline.

…

It was very late at night when something woke Five up. Despite his age, he was a trained fighter and immediately looked for the source of the muffled screams he heard.

But it was just Vanya, asleep in her bed and apparently having a horrible nightmare. He jumped from his bed and shook her shoulders gently.

“Vanya, Vanya, wake up!”

Her eyelids trembled.

“Vanya!”

She opened her brown eyes and it took her a second to recognize her brother under her bangs.

“What happened?”

“You were having a nightmare.”

She sat up in the bed and tried to recall why he was there and she wasn’t in her bedroom.

“Sorry, I should’ve warned you.”

He frowned.

“What you mean warn me?”

“I have the same kind of nightmare almost every night. I hoped tonight would be a lucky one.”

“How long have you been having these nightmares?”

“Around six or five years. Doesn’t matter, Grace and Pogo say it’s because of my meds.”

Pogo was their father’s right hand and a sort of an uncle for them, Grace had been their nanny since they were adopted, a very sweet woman and capable nurse.

“See? You have to stop taking them!”

Vanya smiled.

“Com’on, Five, I need them to be calm. Thanks for waking me, go back to sleep.”

Her brother was nowhere near  _ calm _ .

“Not until you promised me you’ll stop taking them. At least for a month.”

Vanya frowned. Even permanently sedated, she did have a bad temper and her brother was getting on her last nerve.

“Five, this is getting annoying. I  _ need _ them. Let me sleep.”

“No, dad says you need them. He’s lied to us before.”

“Do I have to remind you of all the epic dangerous meltdowns and tantrums I had before them?”

She had, as well, gotten on his last nerve.

“That’s my point! You had a… a…  _ fire _ inside of you. You were like an incandescent light. You had a spirit dad couldn't tame so he tried to shut it off".

Vanya thanked the darkness of the room for hiding her blushing cheeks.

"My fire burnt everyone around me, Five. Including you."

"Why, because you threw a porcelain doll at me?"

"And pushed you in the stairs when you broke my pink nightlight."

Five didn't even flinch at the memories.

"Your fire didn't burn me, it…  _ captivated _ me. I think that fall was exactly when I…"

_ Oh shit _ . Too much information. Well,  _ whatever _ .

Five leaned closer to Vanya and pressed his lips over hers.

Vanya saw it coming after that sentence, but it felt so… right. Like it was what she was supposed to be doing.

Five already expected her to kiss him back, but when she did, it felt  _ so  _ good he thought he might be doing something forbidden.

They broke the kiss and smiled at each other.

"Five, I…"

"I know."

He kissed her again, their thin lips melted into each other fervently, yet there was something innocent about it. The best kind of first kiss.

"I love you," he said, "I should've grown the balls to tell you a long time ago."

She smiled joyfully against his mouth.

"I love you too, Five."

He kissed her again just as happy, the only thing bothering him was all the lost years by her side. "Happy" was a much too small word to describe how he felt. 

He embraced her and buried his hands in her hair.

_ She smells amazing… _

Vanya giggled when he unintentionally tickled her neck.

"Five!"

He smiled too and leaned her body over the mattress, managing to put himself on top of her without breaking the kiss. Vanya moaned when she felt his leg slit between hers and for a second gave freely into the feeling. 

But then she pushed him away gently.

"No, Five, wait!"

Five got off her immediately, concerned he had frightened her or taken things too far.

"I'm sorry, Vanya, I got carried away."

She shook her head biting her lip, her cheeks glowing pink.

"I'm so sorry, Five, really, but can we not…? It's just… it's too rushed."

He smiled nervously, still trying to calm his blood down.

"Of course, I'm sorry…"

She smiled.

"It's okay," said she leaning to kiss him again. "Go back to sleep."

Five moved towards his bed, but Vanya didn’t let go of his hand. 

“Stay with me, please.”

Five smiled. How could he deny anything to those sad big brown eyes?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter:
> 
> «He waited for the right moment, when the brother was gone and the sister was alone and vulnerable, sitting in the grass like a flower waiting to be picked.
> 
> "Mind if I join you?"
> 
> "Well, actually…"
> 
> "She does."»


	4. Young love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to update yesterday  
> Want a double chapter today?

The next day, they spent running around town, visiting the most common places such as the lake, the parks and the malls, places a child of Reginald Hargreeves was never ever supposed to be in.

Vanya liked all the busy places, where they could watch people do what they did, what kids whose parents weren’t eccentric billionaires did to spend their free time.

Little did they know, they had been watched too all day. A young man of their same age waited for the right moment, when the brother was gone and the sister was alone and vulnerable, sitting in the grass like a flower waiting to be picked.

“Hi!”

Vanya looked up to see a boy of a shy smile waving at her.

“Hi there.”

“Sorry, are you Vanya Hargreeves?”

She nodded too soon and without thinking.

“No, I…”

“No, please I’m not a stalker or anything, it’s just… I’ve heard you play the violin and… wow! You are awesome!”

Vanya smiled shyly and got up to her feet. She always liked to be praised, but her father didn’t do it much.

“Thank you… hm.”

The guy chuckled at his own.

“I’m so stupid, my name is Leonard! And this is such an honor, seriously you are amazing, miss Hargreeves!"

She almost grimaced at the name.

"I'm just Vanya. Thank you so much, I’m glad you like how I play."

"Mind if I join you?"

Her smile wore out a bit. She didn’t want to be rude, but back to the house she wouldn’t get much time alone with Five.

"Well, actually…"

"She does."

Five appeared behind her and pulled her waist to his body. Leonard frowned.

"I think she can answer for herself."

_ Oh dear.  _ Vanya smiled nervously.

"Leonard, thank you, you're very sweet, but I'm here with Five, you’ve heard of him? Black belt in almost every martial art!"

Her hysterical giggle seemed to pass unseen by the guys.

"Right, have fun with your brother, Vanya. I hope I can see you again."

Leonard left and Five’s murdering glare followed him until he was out of sight.

“Who the fuck was that?”

Vanya frowned.

“A sweet guy who likes my music.”

“Sure he is.”

Good thing it was her first day without her pills or she would’ve snapped.

“Forget it Let’s go see the place you told me about. It’s growing dark and…”

“And it’s the best spot to see the stars, yes, I know what I said.” He grinned and kissed her hand. “Let’s go.”

I was very up and in the little forest surrounding the city. Away enough from people and light pollution to appreciate a clear sky.

Five had been there on his own a couple of times, but Vanya, the most restricted of the Hargreeves children, hadn’t and she was loving every bit of it.

"The sky's amazing from here! It’s worth the long walk."

"Careful, you'll fall off the edge."

She frowned.

"I'm not a child!"

Five nodded but pulled her closer to him anyway.

"You don't have to be a child to fall off playing the fool."

She rolled her eyes.

"You are an old grandpa who can't have fun!"

She kissed him and when he kissed her back, she pushed him to the grass and fell besides him.

"Vanya! Not fair!"

She burst out laughing.

"See? You're a grandpa! Should I call you daddy?"

He flinched disgusted.

"Ew! Quit that!"

They both laughed like little kids and glanced at each other’s eyes. Five liked many things about his life, but from now on none of it would be enough if it wasn’t with her.

She kissed him and rolled to be on top of him.

“I hope I aren’t heavy enough to kill you.”

“You wish.”

She kissed him softly, somehow the most innocent and sweet contact they had shared to the moment. 

Vanya buried her long fingers in his dark hair, surrendering her entire body to his touch. Five had very present the event of the night before, so he didn’t want to blast it; he laid his hands on the small of her back stroked up and down to her neck and back to her thighs, trying hard to control his hips not to bump with hers.

But she wasn’t helping, almost swelling over him. Perhaps it was the 36 six hours without her medication, but Vanya was full of energy and intended to make each of their nights alone worth it.

She rocked her hips against his, earning a few groans and a few thrusts that made her moan. She almost smiled: he was losing control.

All of the sudden, her face went serious and she bit her lip nervously. She linked her gaze with his and Five understood what was going through her mind, but waited for her to word it.

"I… if you still want to do this… I want it too."

He stroked her cheek. 

"Are you sure?"

She nodded and kissed him again, undoing the buttons of his shirt.

“Wait, here?”

“You think someone could be here this late at night?”

Five considered it for a moment. It wasn’t an usual spot even in the daylight because of the treacherous and dangerous cliff, on which, by the way, they were laying on.

“No, I don’t,” he pulled her head to his and crashed their lips together and took off his belt in one swift motion.

She let his shirt open but didn’t take it off. Somewhere in their rational minds they both knew it was best not to get fully undressed in a public space, even in an isolated one. Five kissed and sucked the gape of her neck and slithered his hands under her dress, diving in her folds.

Vanya bit her lip to hold back her whimpers. His fingers were good, but she was so ready for something bigger. She put a fierce kiss on his lips and abruptly placed herself on his cock.

“Vanya, are you s…?”

“ _ Please _ .”

He moved her panties and pushed himself inside her, as slow as he could. She muffled her cry of pain biting his shoulder, so Five waited for her body to grow used to him inside.

“You,” she breathed in his ear, “you can move now…”

Five did and she moaned still in pain. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he also knew the more he moved the sooner the pain would go, so he thrust again and again, stronger each time until Vanya was moving her hips with his like a dance.

She grabbed fistfuls of his hair to keep herself quiet enough, Five wanted really bad to hear her voice but he too knew better. Soon grabbing each other’s hair wasn’t enough and both had to bite down the other’s skin to shut their groans of relief up.

Finally Five came first and Vanya followed him a few seconds later.

Vanya panted and rolled to the ground, her sweaty back shivered with the cold.

"You're gonna catch a cold,” he said out of breath.

She chuckled.

“Most romantic after-sex-line ever.”

He laughed too and leaned on his right elbow.

“I love you, too much for my own good.”

She questioned his words with her gaze.

“I wouldn’t ever do this somewhere I can be seen,” he explained.

She grinned.

“No one would be here this late. Fix your clothes, let’s go.”

But there was someone, very close actually.

…

If only Klaus knew how right he was about his siblings.

…

“What time is it? I’m so tired,” complained Five when he opened the door of their room.

“3:46.”

“I really need to sleep,” he said falling onto the bed.

She smiled playfully and laid by his side.

" _ Or _ we can go take a bath,  _ together _ ."

Five chuckled.

"Gimme a break!"

She sat on top of him again, her back ached and her thighs were sore but she didn't care.

"Back home, we won't have many chances," she mumbled sadly tracing the numbers 5 and 7 in his chest.

He refused to let that thought sink in his happiness and instead took her waist changed places with her.

"You're right, little Vanya.”

"Hey! I like being on top.”

"You'll be again, in the bathtub, probably by the morning."

She giggled and pulled him for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter:
> 
> “Who do you think you are?!”
> 
> “I don’t know, Vanya, who am I to care about you?”
> 
> “Don’t turn this on me! You know I love you, but I’m not yours and my feelings for you don’t give you the right to control me!”


	5. Coincidences

…

Vanya and Five went back to the manor the next day. They had spent two days outside by themselves and were coming back with much more than what they expected.

Their father’s only checkout on them was a glance at the cameras on the Friday morning. Their brothers and sister on the other hand, harassed them for the details of their time out since the very first second. Five and Vanya had to be very elusive in the next few weeks in order to get some time alone. Or so they thought.

They were resting on the furthest spot in the Roman Garden, behind the statues of their father. She was collecting some wild berries and bringing each kind to him to get his approval for them, even seven years after living like a rich boy, Five’s survival skills remained untouched.

He laughed watching her moving around the bushes like a squirrel.

"You are adorable."

"I'm not! I'm a murderous force like dad says."

"An adorable one."

She laughed and climbed on Five’s lap smiling widely at him before pulling him for a kiss.

Vanya let herself ease into the kiss, melting like snow in the sun.

"I really love you, Vanya. I don't care about what anyone says."

She chuckled.

"No one has nothing to say, we're not biological siblings."

"I meant dad. If he doesn’t like this, we can leave and be free together."

She smiled amused by the idea: they were sixteen going on seventeen, how were they supposed to do it?

"I know why you're laughing, but I already survived by myself when I was toddler. I can do it again and I swear I'll keep you safe, I'll kill anyone who hurts you…”

Vanya shut him up with a kiss and jumped to the ground.

“I know you will. Come here.”

She dragged him behind a statue and kissed him again.

…

Peace wasn’t to be long lasting and by the next month, two of her siblings decided it was time for her to share the news.

Vanya was looking for a spot in her room to hide the bunch of pills she hadn’t taken in two months. There were too many now to hide them under a loose floor tile, when Klaus and Allison came inside without warning.

“Dear sister, your mama’s ghost is very angry with ya!”

She flinched and dropped her pill on the floor.

“Jesus, Klaus! Can’t you knock the damn door?”

Klaus and Allison looked at each other surprised. Even though she was much more lively these days, Vanya hadn’t snapped at them since they were nine or ten.

“We’re a little grumpy, aren’t we?”

She rolled her eyes.

“Leave me alone.”

Allison closed the room’s door. And jumped to her sister’s bed.

“Speak! What did you and Five did _alone_ for two days?”

Klaus crossed his legs on the floor and rested his chin on his hands, ready for her story.

“Lemme guess, Ben and Diego are interrogating Five?”

Klaus laughed.

“And Luther! But, I mean, we know there’s no point on that, right? Five will beat them away!”

“And what makes you think I won’t do that too?”

Klaus clapped at her response, proud of his sister defending herself, but Allison frowned.

“Are you okay, Vanya? You are very aggressive.”

She weighted her options for a few seconds. Was it so harmful to tell them she wasn’t taking the pills anymore? Allison could keep quiet, but Klaus? Well, she’d had to threaten his secret reservoir of alcohol.

“I’m not taking these now.”

They looked at the black pill on the floor and it took them a second to remember what they were.

“I have no problem with that,” said Klaus, “now you aren’t so much like a zombie.”

Allison nodded.

“I’m glad too.”

Klaus got up and hugged her.

“I’m so proud of you, sweet child o’ mine.”

Vanya laughed.

“But now, time to speak. C'mon I’m dying from some juicy gossip!”

Vanya frowned.

“If you tell something to dad or Pogo, I’m gonna break all your whiskey bottles in your head!”

Klaus raised his eyebrows.

“I like this new Vanya. Pinky promise, go on!”

Vanya sat down in her bed with her brother and sister.

“There’s not much to say. Five wanted to be away from the house for a few days and I went with him. We visited some places and had a lot of sugar, but that’s about it.”

Allison smirked.

“Right, and you spend every day gazing at each other because…?”

Vanya blushed.

“That’s not true! We’ve always been close!”

“If you want to keep it a secret, then be more careful. Luther and I had a very clear glance of you two making out behind the Venus in the Roman Garden on, like, the third day you were back.”

_Fuck._

“Fine! We… kissed and then…”

Klaus’s eyes went round in disbelief.

“No shit! You guys did it? Holy shit!”

Vanya shook her head and hands violently.

“No, I was gonna say he said he loves me and I that I love him! So we are together now!”

But it was too late, for the other two had already seen her red cheeks.

“I can’t believe it! I always thought Allison and Luther were going to be the first!”

Allison punched his arm.

“Did you guys…? Well, you used protection right?”

Vanya shook her head slightly concerned.

“No, but I don’t think anything happens. I’d know by now.”

Allison twitched her lips.

“I hope so.”

Klaus pulled out a flask from his coat.

“We have to celebrate right? It’s our turn to sneak you out of the house!”

The girls chuckled.

“Okay, but not a single word to Luther or Diego, okay?”

“So Ben’s okay?”

“Yeah.”

…

The three of them snuck out through the bathroom’s window and took their way to the city. Despite his record of many bar fights, Klaus was still allowed to go wherever he wanted, so he knew of the coolest night places. Both him and Allison were really happy to see their sister breaking out of the shell their father had forced her into.

Klaus and Allison were dancing and jumping together somewhere in the room, while Vanya was sitting on their table drinking a strawberry daiquiri. She was really happy to be outside with them.

“Hey, cutie, want some company?”

She didn’t even look at the guy.

“Fuck off.”

He laughed.

“I’m so sorry! Not my best line, miss Hargreeves.”

She looked up and found Leonard.

“You again!”

He smiled.

“Yep, me again.”

“Do you wanna sit with me?”

His smile trembled.

“Can I? Won’t your brother beat me up?”

She didn’t laugh because if he was there, Five wouldn’t be very happy.

“He isn’t here.”

“So you’re alone?”

“No, my sister Allison and my brother Klaus are there.”

He nodded and stayed there in silence. Vanya was finishing her drink when she realized he was just staring at her.

“What are you looking at?”

Leonard looked away awkwardly.

“I’m sorry, it’s just… you’re so exceptional and I’m here sitting with you… it’s like a dream.”

She blushed, yet uncomfortable.

“Thanks but there’s no need…”

Suddenly, Klaus slammed his hands on the table.

“Fuck off weirdo! This chick is taken!”

Vanya got up and punched her brother’s chest.

“Apologize now!”

Allison came quickly to them.

“What’s going on?!”

“Klaus is a dick.”

“I thought he was hitting on you!”

Vanya rolled her eyes. Leonard helped Klaus from the floor.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind. I'm just a fan of your sister’s music.”

“Is that so?”

_God, no…_

The four of them turned around to see none other than Five smirking coldly at Leonard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Made a mistake with the past notes, they were from the chapter after these so yeah


	6. Care

“Five? What are you doing here?”

“Chilling with Ben.”

Behind him, Ben didn’t seem chill at all. He walked to Allison and whispered in her ear.

“He’s really angry, I can't calm him down. Please help me, Alli.”

Allison analyzed for a second her siblings and decided that the one who needed the most to be persuaded to leave was Five.

“Well, we better call it a night before Dad realizes no one’s home. Nice to meet you, Leonard.”

She took Vanya’s hand and pulled her with her.

“Com’on Vanya, time for a girl’s night out.”

As intended, Five took his killer glance off Leonard and followed his sisters.

They walked back home in awkward silence.

Vanya wanted to explain Five she wasn’t flirting or anything, but also wanted to yell at him but following her like that, who the fuck did he think he was?

Once home, Ben and Klaus left as soon as possible, but Allison refused to leave Vanya alone with an angry Five. She was used to be the big sister, but now that Vanya wasn’t sedated 24/7 she could take care of herself.

“Allison, can you give me a moment alone with Vanya?”

Living with them had made the other Hargreeves siblings kind of oblivious to the threatening aura of these two, but right now, Allison had never felt so much danger in one room. She was scared that if she left them alone they would rip each other to pieces, but staying was just as scary for herself.

“No, Allison, stay so I can  _ prove _ my innocence.”

Five slammed the door.

“As you wish, Vanya.”

“Did you follow me, Five?”

He didn’t answer, but he didn’t need to.

“How dare you? Who do you think you are?”

“I don’t know, Vanya, who am I to care about you?”

“Don’t turn this on me! You know I love you, but I’m not yours and my feelings for you don’t give you the right to follow me around and control me!”

_ Well said sis! _ Allison would’ve cheered Vanya if she wasn’t so scared.

“I don’t want to control you, I want to keep you safe!”

“Is that your best for an excuse?”

“I don’t like that weirdo! There’s something off about him.”

“Leonard isn't a weirdo. He was being nice."

“Second time he just happens to bump into you?  _ Alone _ ?”

"He likes my music! And you all intimidate him! He was afraid of you!"

Five lost his temper and held her face in his hands a bit too aggressively, like she was a bad little girl.

“Five,” scolded Allison horrified, “let her go!”

He didn’t listen.

"Seriously? Vanya you can't trust any creep you come across just because you pity them!"

She pulled away from him and slapped him.

"Don’t you ever touch me like that again! Ever, Five!”

For a second, he seemed about to apologize. But he didn’t.

“Some people just want someone to be nice! You can't understand that because you think the world runs around you!”

He took a step closer to her.

“I’m only…”

“I don’t care! There’s nothing you can do or say to defend yourself tonight! Get out of my room! Now!”

He didn’t move quick enough for her, so Vanya walked out of the room on her own.

"Vanya, where are you going? Come back!"

"Leave me alone!"

"Vanya!"

His sisters left and Five smashed his fist in the wall.

"Damnit!"

Five left and went straight to his own room and opened Tor Browser. He had a few things to look out.

…

Given the circumstances, Allison was happy Vanya’s feelings for Five didn’t stop her from standing up for herself. She followed her to her own room.

“Can I sleep with you tonight, Allison? I don’t want him to sneak on me or anything.”

She frowned disgusted.

“He does that? Vanya, that’s sick!”

Vanya smiled.

“Not like that. He comes to see me when you’re all sleeping and it never bothers me, but tonight…”

She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Allison took her inside the bedroom and locked the door.

“He’s a dick.”

“I love him, but if he can’t treat me like a person… I’m not something he can own!”

Allison hugged her tightly.

“I’m so proud of you for calling him out on his bullshit. He was being an asshole, but I don’t think he wants to own you, actually I think he kind of has a point.”

Vanya jumped away from her sister.

“What?”

“Well, he said it’s the second time he walks into you right when you are alone. I’m just saying it’s too much of a coincidence. And your music is really good, but where has he heard it? You only play in the theater and he doesn’t look like he can afford the most expensive theater in town."

Vanya glared at her.

“If you judged Klaus by his clothes, would you call him a billionaire heir?”

“I wouldn’t call him a culture freak and he isn’t.”

“Forget it, I’m going to sleep with Ben.”

Vanya unlocked the door and left.

_ Great _


	7. Back and Forth

…

Five didn’t want to control Vanya, but there was something really wrong about that Leonard guy. When he was a child and had to look after himself, he always paid attention to his gut and it had never failed him.

Yet, right now it was another the gut feeling he was following.

Five drove his black car down the road and checked the information written down in a piece of paper. He didn’t like this either, but if what they said was true, there was nothing he wouldn’t do to keep Vanya and the others safe.

He walked into the motel and looked for room 565. He had been driving all day and was terribly tired, but the elevator didn’t work at night so he had to walk the stairs to the fifth floor. 

He knocked the door but it was open.

There was a beautiful middle-age woman inside. She was smoking and sitting on the sofa like it was a throne.

“Good night, Mr. Hargreeves.”

“The Handler?”

The woman nodded.

“Are you accepting my offer?”

“Still considering. Why did you headhunted me?”

“Everyone knows about your skills, but after how you researched and uncovered Leonard Peabody in a single night, well, our interests are quite higher than last time we looked you up.”

Five frowned. How the fuck did they know that?

“How the fuck do you know that?”

“We have our resources in the webs.”

He had spent the night of their fight investigating Leonard Peabody, even in the darkest places of the web, and there was nothing at all, like he literally didn't exist. Absolutely nothing, but then he realized there was a name that appeared in every place he searched: Harold Jenkins.

And right after he finished his research, he got a message from the same webs he had been in, and that's how he ended up here.

"And you want me to do what?"

She poured two cups of wine.

"When your father told us of your… how did he call it?  _ Aura of a killer, _ I didn't quite believe him, but now…"

"My father talked to you about me?"

"And the rest of your adopted siblings, of course. He was going to turn exceptional children into trained fighters. We had to have a back up plan in case any of you, well, stepped out of the reel."

Five wasn't surprised, but this meant so many things. For starters, that his siblings were in constant and imminent danger.

"You see, Mr. Hargreeves…"

"Five."

She smiled.

" _ Five _ , Reginald Hargreeves's services have been useful throughout his lifetime, but he's getting old now and if you were to provide us better services, well, instead of gathering our efforts to restrain your siblings, we can do so to keep them safe."

Five almost smirked.

"What happens when my services are insufficient?"

"If there is someone from the Hargreeves family capable of providing better ones we'll turn our loyalty to them. But you and your siblings will be the only possible options and no one has caught our attention except for your sister Vanya. And as far as I understand, you will always be on the same side, might as well end up as Mr. and Mrs. Hargreeves, rather than brother and sister."

"What do I have to do?"

" _ Everything _ we ask of you. The payment will be good, but you surely don't care about that."

Five raised an eyebrow at her.

"What happens if I refuse?"

"Well, our loyalties are still to Reginald Hargreeves and if he requires us to fulfill our part of the deal, we'll have to."

"Who of my siblings is most likely to be?"

She pursed her lips, thinking.

"Well, let's see. According to your father, Number Four or Kalus is constantly about to step off the line and a hazard to himself, but nothing of an ultimate threat. Numbers One and Two are plain and simple creatures easily tamed by their needs of fatherly approval. Numbers Three and Six are dull, but must be kept pleased because of their persuasive abilities. Finally, Number Five —oh, that's you— is a natural murderer and will probably manifest this nature soon," she smiled, "as is Number Seven, but she's constantly sedated and observed, so that leaves you on top."

"What do you mean observed? By whom?"

The Handler sneered.

"Well, us, of course! Vanya is really somewhat dangerous, isn't she? Mostly now that she isn't taking her pills."

"How…?!"

"We have ears and eyes everywhere."

She eyed him upside down and he felt disgusted. This woman needed help.

"If I accept, I need to know what exactly you'll ask of me."

She rolled her eyes.

"If you refuse, who is going to protect your siblings? You can't fight an entire organization on your own. With your talent and my guidance you'll be on top of The Commission sooner than later!"

"So you want me to be your puppet."

The Handler took a card out of her purse and offered it to him.

"Think about it and call me. Just remember no one can protect them like we do."

… 

Almost at dusk the next day, when Five arrived to his house, he realized he had missed something important. All the hours driving and it never passed through his mind.

Vanya's recital.

"Shit," he walked through all the people dressed in white, Vanya's color, standing out with his black jacket and informal clothes.

"Five?" Ben took his arm. "Where were you? It's been two days! We thought you ran away!"

"I had to do something important, where's Vanya?"

His brother hesitated.

"Com'on Ben! I haven't slept in 50 hours and I really need to talk to Vanya!"

"She's in the Roman Garden… no, wait!"

Five ran to the place —their place—, he couldn't wait to tell her what he knew, about both Reginald and Leonard.

Vanya was in the garden, embraced with Leonard. Her hair was up in a fancy and elaborated bun with pearls and white ribbons matching her white long dress. She was beautiful, even when he couldn't see her face, but the sight of Leonard tracing her neck with his fingers and grabbing her waist made him sick.

"How mature of you,  _ sister _ , we fight and you shove this guy into my face?"

Vanya turned around and saw him with the most miserable expression he had ever seen. It broke his heart to see it on her.

"Five!"

She ran to him and hugged his neck so tight she almost choked him.

"Thank God! I thought you ran away! Where were you? Two days and a half, Five! Why didn't you tell anyone? Why didn't you tell  _ me _ ? Don't ever leave me again or I'll hunt you down and kill you!"

He spun her around and hid his face in her neck. He had feared she wouldn't want him back after what he did, hurting her like that.

Over her shoulder he saw Leonard and, gods, it was way easier to read him now he knew everything. The guy was glaring at them with such hatred: now that Five was back, getting Vanya was an impossible goal. He had taken giant steps for two days.

"I'm sorry, I had to take care of something."

Vanya broke the hug to launch herself at him again and kiss him. He kissed her back, uncaring about everyone watching them.

"Oh dear," mumbled Klaus.

"What on Earth are they doing?"

Allison rolled her eyes at Luther's hypocrisy.

"What you and I do in the shadows when we should do it here, like them."

"Guys, we're here," barked Diego.

The people who were staring, resumed their activities pretending they hadn't seen anything and tasting the new gossip in their tongues.

"Don't ever leave me again, please."

Five rested his forehead against hers.

"I promise. Next time I'll take you with me."

"Also, don't be a dick again. I need you to trust me, Five."

His face went serious.

"I do trust you, Vanya. But not the people around you and when I have a bad feeling, I listen to it."

She frowned and stroked his cheek.

"What do you mean?"

"I have to talk to you."

Leonard, who had been waiting for her, spoke then.

"Vanya, I can't see you let yourself be hurt by him again. He hit you, he doesn't deserve you!"

Five glared at him, —he didn't hit her to begin with— willing to let it pass and take Vanya somewhere they could talk, but Diego jumped in.

"Who the fuck are you to decide what my sister deserves?"

"I care about her!"

"Now listen to me, you fanboy, don't you talk like that to any of my siblings even if it's this asshole," he pointed at Five.

"She's been crying about him for two days! And she came to me because who of you has been there for her?"

Diego pushed him.

"Diego, wait!"

Vanya took Leonard's arm and dragged him away. 

He was clearly pissed at the whole thing and Vanya appreciated his thoughtful actions, —he had come to her a few hours after she found out about Five's disappearance and been her shoulder to cry on, as I'd he knew she needed it.

But she couldn't allow him to provoke her brothers.

"Leonard, thank you so much for your support. You are really nice to me. But I don't hate Five and whatever he did, I can forgive."

"Vanya he left you black and blue!"

Indeed, under the makeup there were two bruises on her chin.

"We'll work it out."

"Listen to yourself! You talk like any domestic violence victim I've heard!"

"Leonard, he didn't hit me, he would never."

Desperate, the guy took another way.

"Fine, but please let me see you again. I won't be happy if I don't know you're okay. You are amazing and I can't see people hurting you."

A little too intense for the intense yet really short time they had spent together. But Vanya accepted without reservations.


	8. Chats and an investigation

Once everybody was gone, Five waited outside his father's office until he arrived.

"Father."

Reginald didn't even look at him as he opened the door.

"Ah, Number Five, you're back. Good."

"We have to talk."

"We don't."

"About the Commission."

He stopped dead and looked at him.

"Have you been investigating me?"

"They went after me."

Reginald went inside the office and let the door open. Five followed him and closed it.

"So they tried to kill you…"

"No, they tried to hire me. They said someone in this family has to take your place and provide them with the services you can no longer give."

He buffed.

"And their plan is to get a seventeen year old…"

"They offered me to keep my siblings safe instead of hunting them like animals like you asked them to."

Reginald would never say it out loud, but the day he found Five years ago, he thought he had found his match and now he was sure.

"Well, are you going to accept?"

"I don't know yet. That's why I'm here."

The man readjusted his glasses.

“How do you know I won’t lie to you?”

“I don’t. I just hope.”

"My deal with them was to kill you all if you ever became dangerous and now they're seeking one of you to replace me. There's your answer."

Five nodded.

"What exactly are they? What do they do?"

"They like power. Every kind of power and every person who holds it must belong to them or be eliminated. If they've decided that you fit with them, Number Five, you don't have a choice."

_ The most fatherly-like thing I've heard of you. _

"What kind of things did they ask of you?"

Reginald huffed.

"They will prey on your weaknesses to keep you with them. I have long lost all of mine, but you have plenty. What if they ask you to kill one of your siblings? Or to give them Number Seven?"

_ He knows. _

"There, too, is your answer. Leave me now."

Before he left the room, he turned to smirk at his father.

"Dad, I'm sixteen. You threw a massive party about it two months ago, remember?"

… 

Five went inside his room one hell of tired and decided to have the good night of sleep he deserved after almost 48 hours driving, two exhausting and fruitless conversations and one nightlong research.

But he forgot about it when he saw Vanya, still in her white dress, hair and makeup on, laying on the couch in his bedroom. Her eyes were closed and a soft murmur came from her earphones.

She was so beautiful.

He kneeled by her side.

"Hey, Vanya?"

She opened her eyes and smiled.

"Sorry to intrude," she joked, "where were you now?"

"I had to talk to dad."

She frowned.

"I see."

"I also have to talk to you. You're gonna hate me but it's really important."

"Is it about Leonard?"

He sat on the couch.

"Yes, but please believe me, it's not jealousy, it's something real."

Vanya shook her head.

"I'd much rather to think it's jealousy, but I really feel like you don't trust me."

"I do! But I need to protect you."

Five cupped her face and she groaned at the pain of her bruises.

"Shit, did I do that?"

She smiled sadly.

"Yeah, I told you you were a dick."

He kissed her apologetically. Vanya kissed him back, pouring all her feelings for him —including her fury— on it.

She broke the kiss and asked:

"Sorry, what did you wanna tell me?"

Five shook his head.

"It can wait until tomorrow," he said, kissing her again.

"Hmm, Five, wait, you seem really tired."

He laughed.

"I am tired, but I need this."

They kissed again. He took off his jacket and his shirt, he needed her touch. Vanya pulled her dress over her head, ripping off the zipper, but she didn’t care, as he smirked delighted in that she wasn’t wearing a brassiere.

Vanya moaned as one of his hands fondled her breasts and the other undid her bun, allowing it to fall free on her back and join her bangs around her face. Five carried her to the bed and took off the rest of his clothes and she did the same. He made a mental note that she left her thigh-high lace socks on.

She smirked at him, laying on her bed, her chestnut hair falling all over her pale skin and her legs on white lace playfully reaching his. So tempting, so  _ inviting _ … she could drive him mad if she wanted too.

He jumped on top of her to kiss her neck and breasts. Vanya didn’t like much the foreplay, she rather to go straight for it, but that wasn’t his case, he loved her body and wanted to worship it as it should be done, so she let him be.

He went down through her belly with soft kisses until he reached her entrance and pushed his tongue inside. Vanya moaned loudly before she could even try to hold it back. Manly pride rose in his mind and he heard her multiple whimpers and felt her grow tighter on his tongue. She came pulling his hair.

He rested on her panting chest as she recovered. His tiredness was gone.

“I hate you for making me so weak,” she mumbled. “And I hate that I love it.”

He grinned.

“I love you, everything of you.”

Vanya kissed him and tasted herself on it. She surrounded his waist with her legs and pushed herself against him. Five groaned and rocked his hips with hers, thrusting inside of her until they were both done.

She rested her head on his shoulder and he embraced her and kissed her hair.

…

Not everything could be beautiful and when Five woke up the next morning he knew he had to talk to Vanya before anything went out of hand.

She was already up, trying to put on her ripped dress. He smiled.

“Good morning.”

Vanya turned around and smiled too.

“Morning. Can you lend me a shirt or something?”

He gave her a black shirt he usually wore to sleep.

“We…”

“Need to talk, I know,” she crossed her legs in front of him. “Tell me, what do you know?”

Five took her hand and a deep breath.

_ Three nights before _

Five searched every place for people obsessed with the Hargreeves family, sites about them and finally fanbases of his own sister. Needless to say, most of the content was beyond disgusting. He hacked the most active users to get their real names and among the tens of users he checked, there was no Leonard Peabody. Then he realized there was one name that was everywhere and especially active: Harold Jenkins.

So Five looked up mister Jenkins and, hell, it was Leonard.

The guy used to live in an abusive home with his father and uncle, both drunk consummated abusers. When he was eleven, he killed them both, through it was never proved and no one blamed him officially, he had boasted about it and posted pictured of the murder scene. And there were multiple posts about his father and family.

“What the fuck…”

_ Billionaire wants exceptional orphans? Check this!  _ And a picture of his crime scene. The posts changed after he was rejected, Harold wasted all his words and characters on spitting on Reginald and his overrated kids, who weren’t as exceptional as they thought they were. 

That’s when the posts about Vanya started.

Five felt his blood boiled as he read further. He discussed with other users her need for attention, how Reginald kept her locked up like a freak and how easy that kind of people are to fool. He had it all planned: Vanya was his pass to enter the Hargreeves family.

Few seconds later, a message appeared on the corner of the screen:

_ Your siblings are in many dangers you don't know about and we offer you a solution, Mr. Hargreeves. Harold Jenkins is nowhere near the worst of them. —The Handler. _

There was an address and an hour too. He didn’t think twice.

… 

Vanya remained quiet for a few minutes. She didn’t need anyone else’s love, she had Five and her siblings' love and she didn’t need more, but to think that she had been so easy to fool and, even worse, that she had defended Leonard from Five and Allison.

“Vanya, say something.”

She shook her head, tears threatening to fall down.

“I… I am so angry! I’m so stupid!”

He didn’t think she was stupid, but too nice for her own good.

“I want to kill him!”

“You don’t need to, just stay away from him. He wants to get inside our family and without you, he won’t have no other way.”

Vanya’s eyes watered and she cried in his chest like a little girl, because of her hurt pride, her stupidity and that she had actually thought that someone was interested in her and her music, apart from her big last name.

Somewhere else, a young man known as both Harold and Leonard thought that there was no point in trying while Five was there to stop him.

…

The Handler knew he was going to call, but she didn't expect it to be so soon.

"Mr. Hargreeves?"

"I accept. I'll take my father's place in your organization."

The woman literally purred on the phone.

"Splendid! I have your first task, come s…"

"Hold on, I want my deal written first."

There was a giggle at the other side.

"I love to inform you that I already have it with me. Let me see… your six siblings will be protected, therefore constantly watched —you can get a report of their activities whenever you want— and every previous deal with your father is hereby broken. In exchange for these, you'll do whatever the Commission requires of you."

Five frowned.

"I won't sign up for a  _ whatever _ . I need details."

"Given your abilities I've taken the liberty of placing you as a hitman, a contract for five years. And before your ridiculous morals come in, whatever you don't do, someone else…"

"I don't have ridiculous morals. I'll sign it up tonight."

He did. He drove almost 24 hours to meet with her and sign the contract that would protect his siblings from any plausible danger.


	9. Hitman to Murderer

His first case was an elder man. A veteran who held in his power information that could sink many important people. Five had been trained to kill since he was a child, he knew that what had to be done, had to be done. 

He was standing in front of a yellow house with bright green gardens. A placid nice place ideal for an old man.

Five picked the lock and walked inside carefully and soundless.

He walked up to the stairs and found the man asleep in his bedroom's couch in front of the TV, still turned on, and surrounded with empty beer bottles.

_ Easy-peasy _ .

He walked to the man and opened his mouth carefully, positioned the gun’s end inside and shot.

Aware that he had little time before someone called the police, he pressed the now dead hands all over the gun, dropped it on his knees as if he had done it himself and left.

He didn't think about it —he couldn't— all the way back to the Handler.

She was waiting for him in a motel room.

When he stepped inside, she was already smiling.

"Back already?"

"Will be considered a suicide…" he informed mumbling.

The Handler was utterly pleased that her new pup was so good.

"You're a natural," she said. Fully aware of the impact that it would have on him.

Simple, quick, clean. Five agreed that he was good, in fact he was convinced he was going to be the best. But it brought him no joy.

Five couldn't bear it any longer. He left. He didn't think about it on the way home either.

…

But back home, he couldn't avoid it anymore. It was late at night, everyone was sleeping and with some luck Vanya wouldn't be in his room.

He laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

If it wasn't him, it would be one of his siblings.

_ You're a natural _

This wasn't the only time and the ones coming were probably going to be worse.

…

The second time was better. It was a 36 six year old man, powerful but too individualistic for the Commission. Five shot him behind a casino and walked calmly out of there, no one suspected the sixteen year old.

The third one was very similar. So were the next one, and the ones after that. 

The only thing that scared him was that it ever came a day when he didn't care at all.

…

When Harold Jenkins saw Vanya Hargreeves abandon Hargreeves Manor violin in shoulder, he almost followed her, but right after she left, her insufferable brother Five Hargreeves went out too in a black car. He had been following him for a while and if he was going to take him out, then no moment was better than now: alone in the road and clearly sneaking out.

Leonard followed him in his own car for a few hours. There were a few other cars on the road so he didn’t stand out at first, but when Five took a deviation to the left, a lonely path to a small town, Leonard knew he couldn’t keep up with the car without giving himself away, so he followed Five by foot into the town.

Vanya’s brother had no other choice than to go slow because the streets were narrow, barely big enough for his car. Leonard followed as stealthy as he could.

A few minutes later, he finally got out of the car and knocked on a blue house. Leonard waited.

A young woman opened the door a bit, only enough to talk.

“I’m sorry to bother you so late at night, ma’am, but I got lost in the road. I don’t know anyone in this town and I just saw you with your kids in the garden and… can I use your phone? I was supposed to be home hours ago and my mother must be really worried.”

By the sound of his voice, Leonard would’ve believed him too. Suddenly the stone cold asshole was gone and in his place was a vulnerable teenage boy.

The woman seemed uneasy about it.

“What is your name, kid?”

“Ben Luther.”

_ Really? _

“How old are you?”

“I’m sixteen, please don’t denounce my parents, they don’t know I took the car!”

Harold was impressed but what exactly was the guy seeking with all this?

“Sure, kiddo. Comme in.”

Five did and Leonard waited. Minutes passed and he didn’t come out, nor he heard any sounds inside the house. Then, suddenly, he saw Five’s silhouette sneaking out from the back of the green house and back to his car. Leonard wanted to follow him but he had to see what happened in that house.

The guy snuck tried the front door and found it locked, he went to the back one and it was closed as well, but the window wasn’t.

Leonard called a couple of times but no one came, he tried to take a glimpse inside and…

_ Holy hell! _

The woman was dead on the kitchen floor, with a man as well. She had a bullet through her chest and the man too, but his eyeballs were gone and his fingers severed. 

Leonard had done enough research himself to know  _ why _ . Five wasn’t killing for fun, he was working for someone who had interests in that no one could ever access this particular man’s information or private issues, that's why his retinas and fingerprints had to be gone.

Leonard took a picture of everything and left. On the way to his car, he sent them to Vanya.

…

Vanya was tired as hell. She was happy she was getting more and more recognition with her music, however, she couldn’t enjoy it properly: she was worried about Five. She knew something was wrong with him.

It had been days since he was very strange, taking road trips at night and never telling anyone. He was constantly tired and dark circles around his eyes denoted how bad he was sleeping, so whatever he was doing in his trips was, at the very least, exhausting. She wanted to give him space, but maybe it was time to start asking questions.

Vanya went upstairs to her room. She wanted to get more comfortable before trying to speak with him. Then, a couple of messages rang in her phone.

“What the hell?!”

It was an unknown number, and four gruesome pictures of dead people and mutilations, one of Five’s car driving away and a location. An a few second later, the message:

_ “I don’t know what your brother told you to keep you away from me, but don’t believe him. I know I’m asking too much, but he wants you all for himself and he’s dangerous! Look at what he did to these people, I saw him with my own eyes. Leonard.” _

Why would Five want to kill a man and wife in a small town? Was he capable of that? Yes, perhaps, but he wasn’t a psycho, he wouldn’t go around killing people just for the sake of itself, everything he did had a motivation or a goal. If he actually did this, why?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could possibly maybe perhaps die (or get an induced coma) in the next few days so here you go


	10. Cracked

As Vanya feared, it wasn’t long before the rest of the Hargreeves siblings began asking questions. The first were Luther, Ben and Diego.

They approached her the next morning, when they were all attending Latin class. It was the first class in the morning and Five, as usual these days, wasn’t there.

They all sat with her and looked at each other, expecting the other to speak.

“Uh, hey, Vanya,” greeted Luther, “we wanted to… well, how’s Five?”

Ben rolled his eyes and Vanya almost frowned.

“What Luther means,” said Diego glaring daggers at their brother, “is that Five’s acting really weird and the old man doesn’t care. He skips lectures, your concerts, dinners and is gone all night, I mean, why does dad allow it? Did they make a deal or something?”

She felt the  _ need _ to slap him hard. Five was clearly going through hell and all they cared about was that their scumbag of a father was allowing it? Tho, now they brought it out it was weird that Reginald hadn’t snapped yet, did that mean he knew what he was up to?

“I don’t know, Diego, but whatever it is, it’s between them.”

Her brothers frowned and left without a word, clearly not believing her. Klaus and Allison on her same table shared a look.

“Well, is that true, sis?”

She glared at Klaus.

“What?”

“That you don’t know, Vanya,” clarified Allison. “Because if you don’t know nobody does, what if he is in some kind of trouble?”

“If he is, it’s his business. Five doesn’t like people sticking their noses in his personal matters.”

Allison raised an eyebrow.

“So you don’t care?”

Vanya closed her book.

“Of course I care! But I want him to tell me!”

“What if he’s dead before he can?”

Klaus burst out laughing, making their teacher shush them.

“What the actual heck, Allison? Dead?”

But Vanya didn’t laugh and Allison noticed.

…

Five was in the Roman Garden trying to read. He couldn’t shake the nothingness inside of him, so he was trying hard to fill it with the most complex book he could find. He was half through it and he didn’t even know what was it about.

“Five?”

Vanya walked to his bench waving her hand. He smiled and his cheeks ached due to the lack of motion lately.

“Hi, Vanya.”

“Mind if I join you?”

He shook his head and she sat with him. Out of habit, Five put his arm around her.

“What are you reading?”

“Honestly I have no idea.”

She giggled.

“Then stop doing it! Wanna take a walk in the park? We can sneak out…”

He doubted. This was what bothered him the most about the whole Commission thing, what if someone ever came after him? What if all he was doing to protect his siblings was what in the end got them killed?

“I don’t think it’s a good idea… I’m tired.”

Vanya thought she couldn’t keep testing the waters.

“Five I know something is going on.”

_ Fuck _

“I don’t understand.”

She shifted her position to face him and cup his face.

“Please, don’t lie to me. If you can’t tell me, say so. But don’t lie.”

He softly took her hands off his face.

“I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Her eyes went wet, but she dropped it.

“Just know that if something happens to you, I blame myself and then you can blame yourself for my misery. It’ll be all your fault.”

He almost chuckled.

“I’ll tell Klaus to tell you it’s not my fault ‘cause you’re the one who fell in love with a jerk.”

She hit his shoulder.

“I’ll tell Klaus to ignore you.”

“I’ll haunt him day and night and break his lights.”

She gasped.

“That’s so cruel! You’d kill him!”

“Not my fault he’s afraid of the dark at sixteen”.

“Nor his! It’s the trauma!”

They both laughed.

“I hate it when you are right.”

“I know.”

They kissed between smiles, but none of them had forgotten about their previous conversation.

…

"Come in."

Allison opened the door and looked at her sister brushing her hair.

"Hey, All…"

“Did you talk to Five?”

Vanya clenched her fingers around the brush.

“Were you spying on us?”

“No, I was in the Roman Garden and saw you.”

She rolled her eyes.

“If you know, why do you ask?”

“You know what I mean. What’s with him?”

“He said he couldn’t tell me.”

Allison frowned.

“And you just took it?”

“I don’t want to harass him…”

She sat next to her and grabbed her hands.

“If he isn’t telling you, then it’s something really heavy…”

Vanya buffed. She felt that way too, but there was something else bothering her.

“I don’t know, maybe, but… he is so distant lately that I wouldn’t know.”

_ Oh shit _ .

“When was the last time you guys did it?”

The other girl blushed so violently that she seemed sunburned.

“What?!”

“That long, huh,” said Allison.

“What does that have to do with anything, Allison?!”

She laughed.

“You used to be at it like crazy.”

“What? How…?!”

“Do you honestly think the walls here are that thick?”

Vanya blushed. Allison's dark eyes shone like stars and a mischievous smile made its way through her face.

“Why don’t you try to surprise him?”

"What do you mean?"

"You know, reanimate the fire…"

"Can you stop talking about us like a middle age marriage?"

"If you weren't behaving like one, maybe I wouldn't have to."

Vanya sighed.

“Does that work with Luther?”

Allison smirked.

“Yes, actually it does. C’mon, I can lend you something.”

…

Five watched the two kids, all rosy and chubby. Golden locks fell from their head and Five found it funny how much they looked like the angels from the sacred oil paintings.

He looked at them almost remorsefully.

_ What has to be done, has to be done. _

He took out his kitchen knife. His file on them stated that, in order to make it look like their crazy mother had done it, he would have to pick a weapon from her kitchen. They were the only heirs to some dead man with important items in his will. Since the children were very young, such objects were still in custody and in order for them not to end up in his mad widow's power when the children were dead, it had to look like she killed them.

So Five took a kitchen knife and prepared himself to cut their throats as quick and painless as he could. 

He held the small head of the toddler in his hand and almost closed his eyes.

Suddenly, steps from the hall scared him.

"Honey, you're back. I'm so glad you came to see the children."

The woman —beautiful, young— was on the door smiling sweetly at him.

"We miss you. I know your work is important but we are your family."

Five said nothing. She was crazy, but would the lawyers believe it when she said her husband —a man— had killed her children?

She frowned. She analyzed him and Five realizes, too late, he shouldn't have stayed quiet for so long.

"Go back to sleep," he hushed. "You'll wake them up."

She smiled.

"Of course, my dear."

She left and he unclenched the knife in relief.  _ So close. _

"Mommy?"

_ FUCK! _

The twins stared at him, frightened for a second. Before the kids opened their mouth, he knew they were going to scream. And what he had to do.


	11. Broken

Vanya heard something in the room. Whoever it was and whatever they wanted, they’d have to fight for it. She opened her eyes trusting the darkness of the room to hide her face and waited for the intruder to reveal themselves.

There was no intruder. In any case, it was her, because that was Five sneaking in his own room. Five, her beloved Five, splattered with blood, stinking of death and clearly  _ not _ right.

She didn’t think twice. Whatever he ever did, she could forgive, but judging by the look on his face, he wasn’t right.

“Five?”

Vanya saw him froze in his place.  _ Right, he doesn’t know I know. _

“Vanya, what…?”

She jumped from his bed without bothering to close her robe nor cover her revealing lingerie, Allison's gift. 

_ So much for a nice surprise, huh.  _

Vanya took his hand and dragged him with her.

“Come to the bathtub, Five. Take off your clothes, I’ll clean them and I’ll be back in a second to help you to…”

“Vanya!”

They looked at each other’s eyes. In Five’s sight she could see he was falling apart. From the pictures Leonard sent her, Vanya knew it wasn’t anywhere near the first time, yet it seemed to have affected him worse than any. He, on his side, was trying to understand how Vanya wasn’t freaking out.

Vanya took off her silky robe and rubbed out the blood of his face with it. She loved him and she couldn’t bear to see him breaking his own soul like this.

“Five, please, we need to wash out that blood before it dries up.”

He wasn’t used to be the protected one, but he fell on his knees. Vanya managed to hold him by his shoulders, while he embraced her waist and buried his face on her chest.

While he wasn’t crying, Vanya could feel the shock and overwhelming horror creeping out of his soul and mind. She caressed his hair and hummed a lullaby, forgetting about the blood.

“Five, if… if you need to cry, you  _ have _ to. Don’t hold everything inside of you or you’ll fall apart.”

He didn’t answer, only hugged her even tighter. After a few minutes in silence, Five finally talked.

“They were kids…  _ toddlers _ and I stabbed them to death.”

Vanya did feel her blood run cold and she couldn’t help a shiver. Why?

“Tell me that you still love me, Vanya” he begged.

And yet, she didn’t hesitate.

“You know I love you. I don’t care about anything you have done or will ever do, I will always love you.”

Five let her take him to the bathroom and undress him like he was a little kid again. There wasn’t anything sexual about the bath she gave him, she cleaned all the blood from his hands, his face and his chest. He kissed her a couple of times, but Vanya didn’t let him go any further: he wasn’t in the right stage of mind.

After that, she led Five to his bed and covered him with the sheets as if she was his mother. She sang to him until he fell asleep and only then, she allowed herself to lay on his chest and sleep with him. And damned lingerie, she was so cold.

…

Five woke up startled. The kids, the blood, Vanya—

_ Vanya _

She was still sleeping in his chest, her long hair doing its best to cover her body, barely dressed at all. He couldn't help holding her closer.

But he needed answers.

Vanya woke up a few minutes after he did. She had every memory just as fresh in her mind.

"Five…"

"We need to talk."

Vanya took her bloody black robe from the floor and put it on.

"I know."

She sat on the couch and let him have the bed for himself. Five would've preferred to be next to her, but he wasn't about being the one that comes closer.

"How do you know? Did you follow me?"

She almost sneered.

"No, someone sent me pictures of one of your…  _ killings _ . Which means that you haven't been as careful as you thought you were."

Five frowned and forgot his ego to reach her in the other corner of the room.

"Who did?"

"Leonard."

The number of possible disasters that could follow down  _ this _ was overwhelming.

“I have to kill him!”

“Five!”

_ Seriously?! _

“What? Do you really care about him after  _ all _ ?”

She shook her head.

“I care about you! Listen to yourself! Look at you!”

As he had previously resolved, what had to be done had to be done.

“Everything I do is to keep you and the others safe.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Dad’s in very shady businesses. I can’t tell you more.”

Was that why he was going around murdering people? Because of their fucker of a father?

"Five…"

"Please don't ask more."

"I must! Whatever reasons could you possibly have to help dad out?"

"I'm not helping him, I'm replacing him!"

She frowned.

"What?"

"Dad had an agreement with shady people about us. To protect himself from us, mine is to protect you all of  _ everything _ ."

"Agreement with who?"

"They say they are 'The Commission'."

Vanya said nothing. While it was something to take in, she was more concerned about the imminent threat Leonard was.

“If it must be done…" she said, "I’ll do it.”

“What? No, I won’t put that on your shoulders, Vanya, you are not a murderer.”

“But you are? Is that what you’re saying?”

“Vanya…!”

“I’ll do it. I’ll meet with him and I’ll do it. He’ll never give you that chance because he knows what you can do.”

A fair point indeed. Still, he didn't want her to meet up with Harold.

"I can't stand by while you go with him."

"What else can you do? I can handle it."

And he didn't doubt that she could, she was probably going to torture him first. But he couldn't help to be worried.


	12. All for love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what, I don't see the point in making you wait if it's all written already. It's not as if I need motivation to keep writing bc it's already done.
> 
> Here you go, four chapters.

Vanya wasn't weak nor soft. She was tender and cared a lot about her people, but when the situation required it she was perfectly capable of showing her claws.

And Leonard —no, Harold— hadn't only tried to hurt her, but directly threatened Five.

Even though she wasn't a trained fighter like her siblings, she already had a plan. After all, Leonard thought of her as a stupid needy girl and she was going to use that against him. It wasn't necessary to convince Five to not tell, but it was hard to make him promise he would stay at bay. She couldn't move freely if Leonard saw him around.

She sighed rethinking her plan. First, she had to make sure he hadn't sent the pictures to anyone else, that was as important as killing him. She couldn't bring a gun because it was too visible, so her hunting knife would have to do.

As long as she could get close enough, it was perfect.

Five still didn't like it, but it hardly mattered when she was right: if Leonard so much as saw him, they would lose every hope to fool him and they didn't know if where he kept the pictures or whether someone would release them in his place.

Five went into her room, his arms tightly crossed.

"I don't like this."

"What choice do we have? Do you wanna tell dad? Or The Commission?"

He shook his head.

"I can't. I don't know if they'll want to keep that evidence and use it against me someday. And I don't trust dad."

"Me neither. So we don't have a choice, quit complaining."

Five grabbed her arms and made her look at him.

"I am worried. What if something goes wrong? I'll be here just waiting?"

Vanya freed her arms to caress his face.

"You will be here. If I'm not back in an hour, go. And whatever you find there, go after him if necessary. Promise me."

He closed his eyes.

"I can't. I won't."

Vanya didn't insist.

"I have to go. I told him to meet me at the firefly spot at six."

Five pulled her closer and kissed her. Vanya buried her hands in his hair and he grabbed her waist as tight as he could.

"I don't like this," he repeated.

She smiled and kissed him softer.

"I have to leave."

As Vanya snuck out through the back garden, somebody was observing her.

.-.-.-.

When she arrived at the Firefly Spot, Leonard —Harold— was already there. He smiled widely at her and she did her best not to glare at him.

Instead, she smiled too.

"Vanya," he smiled. He extended his hand to her and Vanya took it. 

"I'm sorry I believed in Five before you. I really wanted to think he was innocent."

"It's okay, he was your family until now."

Calm down, Vanya.

"He still is and I am so confused. I don't know what to do. My father won't ever forgive me if I tell the police. It would bring down his name."

Leonard smiled as he pulled her for an embrace. 

"I know, I don't wanna put you in that situation. I will give them to the police."

Vanya felt a rush of panic and anger. 

"But what will happen to you?"

Leonard frowned and released her. 

"Why me?" 

"I mean my father is a billionaire, Leonard. He has a lot of friends that can help him and my brother Five has always been his favorite. They will find out who did it and take it on you." 

She faked a fearful sight. 

"Oh my God, have you uploaded it anywhere? Like sent it or saved it?" 

"Yeah, I sent them to you. Why?" 

Shit

"I deleted them. And because my dad could find them, and Five only needed to check my phone."

"I have them locally safe. Don't worry, little Vanya, I'll be okay," he smiled. 

She smiled too and hugged him again. 

"That's what I wanted to hear," she said, pulling out her hunting knife to stab him. 

But she felt something cold against her head and heard the gun. 

"I'm not as stupid as you think, Vanya Hargreaves."

Damn it! 

“What are you…?"

"I've been watching you and your fucker of a brother day and night. I know you were with him the night he killed the twins."

Vanya screeched like a fury and stabbed his belly. He didn't shoot because if he had, the bullet would've gone to his chest too.

But before Vanya could get away, he grabbed her hair and threw her to the ground. Vanya cut his left ankle and, while he fell to the ground too, he didn't let go of her hair.

"We could've been on top of your siblings! I could've placed you there, the most important of the Hargreeves siblings! The only one!"

Vanya tried to stab him again, but only got to scratch his right eye. Leonard groaned in pain and unheld her hair so Vanya got away only to go back and try again. She had to kill him.

Harold managed to grab her arms and push her to the ground, pinning her there with his legs.

They glared at each other.

"You are pathetic, here fighting for a group that will never see you as an equal. You are stupid and codependent!"

Yes, I might be, she thought but she didn't have time to stop and have pity on herself.

Vanya tried to hit his head with hers but he got away in time.

"I won't kill you. Your brother must know you're here and I won't spend the rest of my life hiding from him and your father. You will be my lifeboat."

Vanya's eyes widened in horror. She refused to spend the rest of her life as his prisoner.

"Never! I will kill you and if can't I'll kill myself! Five will never stop looking for me!"

"He will because if I even heard of him I'll cut you a finger and send it to him!"

Vanya tried desperately to kick his crotch or bite his arm or anything to get him to move. Leonard laughed at her efforts until she managed to kick his wounded ankle. He screeched and fell to her side.

Vanya took her chance and stabbed his chest. She could feel the bond getting in her way and wished more than ever that she had had the same training as her siblings, so she knew where to stab him.

She stopped for a moment. He wasn't moving, there was a lot of blood. Was he dead? Her knife hadn't gone that deep, had it?

Suddenly, he raised his hand and shot.

Vanya didn't feel anything, as she fainted, her last thought was, of course, Five.

.-.-.-.

Five walked up and down staring at the wall. Suddenly, Allison opened his door and stepped inside.

"Not now, Allison," he said.

"Where is Vanya?"

She kicked his knees, making him fall to the floor.

"What the…?!"

"Where is Vanya, Five? Why did she sneak out alone and why do you look guilty as fuck?!"

He got to his feet buffing.

"She'll be back."

"When? Why are you so anxious?"

"Because she should be back already!"

Allison freaked out. It wasn't like her brother to be nervous.

"Where did she go? Is she… in danger?"

Five finally lost it.

"Yes, she is! Are you satisfied?! Leave me alone, Allison."

Allison grabbed his shirt.

"Tell me what is going on!"

He glared at her eyes and, for what felt like an eternity, remained quiet.

Then, he broke down.


	13. Wronged

Once they knew Vanya was safe, Allison was going to ask both of them a lot of questions. First, what the fuck was going on, second where did Five get the two guns they were carrying and lastly why none of them said anything.

Five was obviously worried as hell, she wasn't feeling any better and couldn't help to feel anxious about it being only the two of them, but of course it was easier and quicker than to coordinate the other four guys.

Five suddenly stopped and glared at some point of the forest.

Allison followed his sight and almost screamed. There was a guy there, around their age, covered in blood and moving quite fast for the amount of pain he seemed to be in.

"You find Vanya, I'll get this bastard!"

Five ran after him. Allison kept on walking, horrified by what she had just seen and wondering what on Earth had Vanya done.

She wandered around the woods in search of her sister until she spotted something white and red on the ground.

Vanya.

"Vanya!"

Allison ran to her and screamed at the amount of blood coming out of her sister's head.

"Oh my God! No, Vanya!"

She took out her phone and called Luther. Between hysterical cries, she managed to tell him where to find them.

Vanya was very cold and part of the blood was already dried. Her wound seemed to be of a bullet.

Five, what is this?

Her siblings, Pogo and Grace arrived a little later. Yet, too late.

.-.-.-.

Five ran after Leonard but the asshole was good at hiding. Living a childhood as his, it was probably because of practice.

That and Five wasn't thinking clearly. He knew he had to find Leonard and kill him, but the mere fact that he wasn't dead meant something had gone wrong, plus he had clearly been in a brutal fight. Had Vanya roughed him up like that? 

Vanya. If she wasn't… no, she was okay. She had to.

Shit. Five realized he had lost him. He tried to follow the blood, after all, Leonard couldn't go very far as bad as he was.

And he hadn't. Five felt something very hard and heavy crash against his head and felt numb to the ground. Then once again, but before losing the last bit of consciousness, he heard the voices of his siblings calling him.

Harold heard them too and he hesitated for a second. He wanted to kill Five more than anything, but he wasn't about to give himself up. 

So he left to hide again.

.-.-.-.

Five woke up to the worst headache he had ever had.

"Take this, Five. It'll help you with the pain."

Grace was there, handing him a pill and a glass of water. He was in a hospital room.

"Vanya?"

Grace's flawless smile trembled.

"She's on surgery."

What? Why? How bad did Harold hurt her and how? For the looks of it, he would've bet it was him who got it worse.

"Why?"

Her smile disappeared.

"She was shot in the head."

His heart skipped a beat. But how? She didn't bring a gun, only her hunting knife. He clenched his teeth: Leonard was waiting for it, he knew what she was going to do. What if he kept following them after? What if he knew? Did he set her up?

"She's going to be okay, Five, but the doctors have to extract the bullet. She barely has any scratch aside from that."

A hint of pride gleamed in his heart. The bastard had a gun, she had a knife and apparently he was the one who got beaten up.

"Rest now, you'll see her when they're done."

She left and he took the pill. Even when they didn't kill Harold, at least Vanya was okay. He had to explain everything to his family but he had a short span of time to think of something. On the bright side, this was probably something he could use against The Commission and the insufferable Handler. They were supposed to protect them, weren't they?

Of course that this was quite his fault, objectively seen, he had put all his effort on keeping it a secret. But still.

Suddenly Allison and Ben went inside.

"You are going to explain right now what happened."

Ben wasn't his usual chilled and apologetic self. He was clearly angry.

"I have nothing to explain to you."

"That's our sister dying in a surgery, asshole," snapped Ben.

"Grace said she will be okay."

"And that's your excuse? Tell us what happened!"

"You don't need to know! Now get out!"

Grace came back smiling.

"Your brother has to rest. Come with me, Allison, Ben."

Five glared at the door even after they were gone. He couldn't properly rest until he knew Vanya was okay, but he was really tired and the pill was quick.

He fell asleep soon.

.-.-.-.

Pogo looked away remorsefully. He closed his eyes to keep his tears at bay.

Grace, on the other hand, broke to desperate cries.

Reginald merely looked at the girl on the white bed.

"Go tell the children," he ordered.

Pogo and Grace dragged themselves to Five's room, where he was asleep and all his siblings were waiting.

Allison was crying on Luther's shoulder, Klaus and Ben playing with their hands and Diego was looking out of the window.

"Master Ben," called Pogo, "can you wake up Master Five?"

Ben patted hesitantly on his brother's arm until he woke up.

Five looked around and something felt like ice in his gut.

"Did Vanya wake up?"

Grace covered her mouth and cried again.

"I must inform you that…" Pogo seemed to be about to cry too. They had never seen him like this.

"Number Seven is dead," announced coldly Reginald from the door.

Allison's scream was heard throughout the whole hospital, but Five heard nothing.


	14. Many lies can't build up a truth

After Vanya's death, Grace left their family. Apparently she couldn't bear to live where one of the kids she took care of had been and now wasn't.

After her, it was Diego, months later. He enlisted in the Police Academy and left.

Allison and Luther followed him, only a year after. They finished highschool and moved together to attend college. It didn't take long before Allison became a quite known actress and a decade after she was world-wide famous.

Finally, Klaus and Ben moved together too. They went to the army first and then Klaus began to spend his time giving speeches about peace. And years later he had a solid base of followers.

Five never left because he never came back. That very same night he fled the hospital and was never heard of again. His siblings didn't know anything about him, but he did about them.

At first, he got constant reports of their activities and safety. Klaus was the one whose ass had to be saved every week because of his drug dealers, but the others were perfectly fine. Then he began to ignore the reports.

And the last time he actually saw them was when they were 23 years old and Reginald died. Grace didn't come back, though. But they didn't see him; he didn't have the courage to get close to the house again, so he watched from afar.

When the phase of denial finally began to fade and the anger came in, Five almost lost his mind. He became erratic and if the Handler hadn't had it hot for him, The Commission would've probably killed him. Five made it his sole goal in life to find Leonard, hunt him down and make him pay for every ounce of pain he was feeling. He used The Commission's tools and killed a lot of extra people for The Handler in order to get information on Harold.

The fact that Vanya died and they didn't do anything gave Five the right to have people watching over his siblings every hour of every day, and not only some occasional check outs.

It took him ten years to fulfill his vengeance, but he did. 

Now that he had finally avenged her memory, Vanya could rest too. She could finally stop appearing in the corners, in the crowds, in his dreams. She could be in peace. For the first time, he wished he knew where her grave was.

Five left the room where Harold Jenkins' rests —blood, muscles, bones, rags of skin— were and wiped the blood out of his face. 

He took a deep breath as he closed the door of the room to walk through the hallway. Right before he stepped in the living room he heard a voice.

"Please don't shoot, Master Five."

He pulled out his gun immediately, but the only thing that stopped him on the last second was that he knew that voice.

Pogo was sitting on his couch.

"It's good to see you again, Master Five."

"How did you get in?"

And how hadn't he heard it?

"It was quite easy, and that concerns me. You used to be the most prudent and competent of your siblings."

Five frowned. He didn't put much value on his life lately, true, but he still needed to keep alive if he wanted to protect his siblings.

"How did you get in, Pogo?"

He shook his head like a disappointed father.

"The door from your balcony was unlocked. I am too old to be climbing around but this is important."

Five opened a new bottle of whiskey.

"What are you doing here, Pogo? Are you looking for my brothers? I haven't got a report on them over the last ten months and you know where to find Allison."

Pogo shook his head.

"In fact, Master Five, they are reunited already. You are the only one missing."

What? They hadn't been together again since they were twenty-three and their father died.

"What is going on? What happened?"

"I'm afraid it will be easier to show you. Now that you are done with what I assume used to be Harold Jenkins, you must come with me."

…..

Pogo took him for a long and silent drive on a solitary road. About an hour after, they got to a beautiful town. The houses were mostly of stone and would've fitted perfectly in a fairytale.

"Where are we?"

"That isn't relevant now."

They parked the car and Pogo led him to one of the identical pretty little houses.

The old man opened the door and the first sight alarmed Five at once.

Every single one of his siblings was there. And they were all crying.

Luther and Diego were looking away from everyone, crying on different corners. Allison, Klaus and Ben were on each other's shoulders, Allison and Klaus looked the most miserable.

"What happened? What is this?"

"Before anything else, Five, you have to know we are truly sorry."

He felt out of breath. Behind him, old but still beautiful, was Grace.

"Grace? What are you doing here? You left us after Vanya…!"

"I had to," she worded looking at her hands.

"Come with me, Master Five, I'll answer all your questions outside."

Still uneasy, he followed Pogo. It had been a while since he had felt this confused.

They walked down the street irritatingly slowly.

"I need to say that your father genuinely thought he was doing the best for you. That he was stripping you of your greatest weakness. It was… the most thoughtful a man like him could've done."

Five clenched his fist.

"Pogo, I wish you'd just go to the point."

"In a minute, you'll understand why it is not that simple. Here we are."

Five didn't understand what he was supposed to look at, the only thing in front of them was another of those fairytale-like little houses. And a bunch of fireflies that were just beginning to appear.

"What…?"

"There she comes."

A young girl walked out of the house to see the fireflies. She was pretty and moved elegantly, a lot like Grace, but what took Five's breath away was that she looked just like Vanya when they were kids.

"Who is that?"

"Wait."

The girl managed to capture a Firefly and rushed back to the door.

"Mom! I have one! Call the grandma!"

A woman went out to the garden laughing.

"Darling, grandma Grace isn't home right now. Put it in a jar and you'll show her this afternoon."

Five couldn't feel anything but the greatest pain he had ever experienced. Because that beautiful, grown up and radiant woman there under the dawn's rose golden light was Vanya.


	15. Shattered

There was no way he was mistaken.

Several minutes past before he managed to even try to speak.

"P...? Wh...?"

"When Miss Vanya woke up from her surgery, she didn't remember anything about her life. Grace said there was little possibility that she would ever regain them, so your father did what he thought was best and sent her and Grace to live apart. Here. He said that now that you were working with The Commission, it was best if you lost your greatest weakness. He thought that your love for Miss Vanya would cause both of your ends."

Pogo seemed devastated. But not more than Five.

"And if you haven't figured it out, Master Five, that girl there is yours."

He had. But he couldn't believe it.

"When Grace realized Vanya was pregnant, she wanted to tell you. She thought you had the right to know and I agreed, but your father prohibited us to ever tell you because he thought that that child would be another weakness for you. To this day I still believe that he was also afraid that you would come for him if you ever found out what he did."

He smiled with guilt.

"And I, too, believed so. That is why I never told you while he was alive. And it took me three years to build up the courage to do it now."

Five couldn't even manage to be angry, there was only one thing in his mind.

"She… did she ever…?"

Pogo shook his head softly.

"I'm afraid Grace was right and Miss Vanya never regained her memories."

He let the information sink into his heart.

"Did my siblings know?"

"They found out tonight. Stopping Miss Allison and Master Klaus from running into the house was the hardest."

He couldn't keep his eyes from her.

"She doesn't remember me. She doesn't know who I am."

"And she won't if you don't go and talk to her. The rest is up to you, Master Five. Even if it doesn't give you back the years you lost with her, I want you to know I will always regret this."

Pogo walked away, back to where his siblings and Grace were.

Five walked, hesitating, towards the house. 

Vanya spotted him before he even stepped in the garden and glared at him. Something moved in his heart at the sight of her fiery eyes. Her fire would never abandon her.

"Lo, go back inside," she ordered.

The girl frowned but obeyed.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

He tried to talk, to say anything, but he couldn't.

"Go away from this house or I'll shoot you myself!"

She was the same. She didn't have bangs anymore, she looked more tired too and her hair was wavy now, but without a doubt she was the same Vanya. How hard had it been to be a single mother at sixteen years old? Had she gone to college? What was their daughter's name? Had she ever had the slightest memory of him?

"Vanya," he mumbled. "I… I am…"

Vanya stepped closer, wary, but somehow a little more trusting.

"Yes? Who are you?"

"I am… Lo's father."

Vanya's eyes went round for a moment, but she immediately frowned again.

"Her father is dead. He died ten years ago in the same car crash that I…"

"Lost your memory?"

"How do you…?!"

"You didn't lose your memory in a car crash, someone shot you. I couldn't get there in time, if I had you and I…" he shook his head, trying to take control of his emotions. "My name is Five Hargreeves and if I had gotten there in time, you wouldn't have been alone and that girl," he pointed to the house, "that girl would've grown up with a father."

Suddenly, tears rolled down her cheeks.

"This isn't true. Whoever you are, this is unspeakably cruel of you. I don't know what you want or how you know all of this, but if you ever come near me or her I will kill you, don't doubt that!"

"I don't doubt it. I know you can kill for the people you care about. You were going to do it for me and that's what got you here. My carelessness and your desire to protect me did."

Vanya turned around to walk away and Five, for the first time in ten years, felt panic and impotence. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

He expected her to push him, slap him or anything, but she didn't. She stood there, still and completely silent.

After a few minutes, Vanya brought her hand slowly to his.

What is this? I feel… she felt warmth and yearning, his touch was familiar. Was it possible…? But Grace had told her her story many times…

"Grace lied to you. She thought she was protecting us."

Vanya turned around in his arms and stared at him, studying him.

"You are a stranger to me," she said.

It broke a heart he thought dead.

"But I wasn't. And won't be again if you let me. Vanya, I know you don't remember it but I loved you since we were children and I always will. Even if you can't love me again."

Five hesitated for a second, but his concerns couldn't be only Vanya now.

"And if you don't want me in your life, at least let me be in hers. I am her father."

Vanya's cheeks were soaked with tears.

"I don't know why I am crying."

"I do."

He leaned to kiss her. She kissed him back.

A rush of forgotten passion burnt inside of her. He couldn't be lying and at the same thing awake… this inside of her.

Scared, she pushed him away.

"I don't know you. Even if what you say is true, I can't just put you in my daughter's life. You are a stranger," she repeated.

"He says the truth, my darling."

Both of them turned to see Grace there, crying but smiling.

"Mom? What are you saying?"

"You were never in a car crash. This is your adoptive brother," her voice trembled, "and the man you chose to love in another time. The one one you saw in your dreams when you were younger."

Vanya was still crying, but now looking furious as well.

"How could you? Is it true that someone shot me? And why now?"

She shook her head and fled to her house.

"Vanya!"

Grace held his arm.

"Let her be, Five. It is a lot to take in."

Five was trying to keep his own rage inside of him.

"How did you live all this time? Why did you stay with her?"

Grace sighed.

"Reggie thought that she needed me more than you did and I agreed. When I learned she was pregnant, I tried to convince him and Pogo to let you know, the baby needed its father, but they told me you were too young to make a competent father and that I would only be risking their life. I still think they were right, but it broke my heart."

Five had never hated his father this much. He blamed Leonard for taking away his future with Vanya, when all this time it was Reginald.

"But she was as well as she could, Five. Reginald took care of us. Vanya finished school, attended college, she is a music teacher now and Lo is doing well at school."

He nodded. It was good to know.

"Did she ever remember anything about me?"

Grace smiled sadly.

"She used to dream about you the first months. It actually made me hope she was going to regain her memories someday, but she didn't. She still loves you, even if she doesn't remember, she never had anything significant with anyone else, she even said that whoever Lo's father was, must've been the love of her life and she would never love again."

Grace chuckled a little.

"She was only twenty when she said that."

Five shook his head. He couldn't let her slip through his fingers again.

"She doesn't know me, how will she trust me again? And when she knows what I've become? What I am?"

"You are more than…"

"Not anymore, Grace. All I am now is a murderer, you can't imagine how many people I've killed. Everything I have done, what I just did… how will she accept a man like me to be the father of her child?"

He himself didn't seem to want it. Above all, he didn't want to put them at risk.

"I trust that once you have something of what you used to have, she will. She promised you that she would always love you, no matter what you did."

He frowned.

"How do you…?"

"She dreamt about it. A man whose face she could remember came to her, covered in blood and confessing terrible crimes, but she promised to love him forever, no matter what."

Five almost laughed. How could his fate manage to be so cruel after all this time?

"I will tell her what I know of her story. She still has to meet your siblings too. And perhaps then Vanya will be… open to hear you again."

Grace patted his arm like she did when he was a child and left to follow Vanya.

Five stood there. A single tear rolled down his right cheek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now I wanna write a second part with these two

**Author's Note:**

> I am a goddamn idiot I had this tagged in the Klaus/Vanya relationship   
> AGGGHHHH I HATE EVERYTHING


End file.
